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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · straw · lash · game · rush · hide · race · root

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. race — humankind
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — a contest
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. game — wild animals
  15. root — of a word
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rush — hurry
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. roll — a cake
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. roll — a list
  23. root — the cause
  24. game — a match

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com